Lighting and power system



oct. 19 1926. 1,603,830

W. L. BLISS LIGHTING AND POWER SYSTEM Original Filed June 25, 1910 Illlll Patented oa. 19,1926.

UNITED s'rATlJsP.\11.:1-115 OFFICE.'A N

winmx 1'... ELIss, or NIAGARA EALIQs, NEW Yoan, As'sIeNon 'ro u. s. maar AND HEAT conronArIoN, or NIAGARA EALLs, NEwYoEx, A conroEA'rroN or NEW YORK.

Original application iiledlunc 25, 191D,

Myinvention relates to lighting and power system in `which an vinternal lcombustion engine is used to drive a' dynamo electric machine, the electric energy thus produced being used for lighting and-power purposes, and also to charge a storage battery which may be subsequently used to supply energy to operate the dynamo electric machine as a motor for starting the internal combustion engine.

. VIt is an object of the present invention to provide automatic switch control mechanism adapted to connect the'dynamo elec tric machine either'in starting relationship to the battery or in energy supply relationship to the battery and load circuits, whereby after the initiation of the starting func'- tion lfurther manual control of the circuits is unnecessary. I

It is -a still further object of-my invention to provide an arrangement and circuit connections whereby the output of the dynamo-electric machine4 shall be conined within safe limits in spite of greatk variations in speed, and wherein the dynamoelectric machine may be operated as an engine-starting motor without regulation of the input thereto.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 568,909, filed June `l25, 1910.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a vsystem embodying a preferred form of the present invention.'

Fig. 2 Vis a similar -representation of a m'odiication.

In the drawings the same reference characters refer to similar parts in the several figures. v

Referring to Fig. 1, an internal combustion engine 1 is shown connectedv directly to a shunt wound dynamo electric machine 2 and shunt ield windings 2". The dynamo electric machine when operating as a generator is adapted to supply current to the storage battery 3 and the load circuit 4 which are connected in parallel.

Two control switches are connected'` in parallel branches between the generator and 50 `storage battery. One of these switches which may be designated as the main switch,

performs the function of the usual automatic switch in that it is adapted to contors 11, 23, holding coil 24, switching connIGnrrNe AND rowEn SYSTEM.

Serial No. 568,909.v Divided and this application illed October 6, 1920r Serial No. 415,0871

nect thegenerator with the storage battery when the voltage of the former is equal to, or slightly in excess, of the latter, andvalso automatically opens the circuit to the storage battery when the generator voltage falls below that of the battery. The second switch or starter switch is operated by a remote control circuit and is used vto connect the battery with the dynamo electric machine in order to permit current to flow from the battery thereto .and run the same as the motor to start the engine. These switches'are electrically interlocked so that when the starting switchl is Iclosed by the4 operator the main switch is rendered inoperative. The opening of the starting switch however restores the main switch to operative condition.

Under normal working conditions the circuit from the dynamo electric machine to the battery 3 is complete through conductor 5 around resistance 6 by means of short circultlng contacts 7 controlled by the' vstarting switch then through conductor .8, reverse current release coil 9, main switch contact l() and conductor 11. From the battery and li hting and power circuit 4 the circuit to t e dynamo electric machine isy complete through .conductor 12. The shunt field coils of the dynamo electric machine are connected around resistance 6 by con' ductor13 as illustrated. 85 Suitable means are provided for auto# matically closing the main switch 10 which includes a lifting coil 17 connected in a circuit across the dynamo electric machine ter minals as follows: From positive terminal through conductors 5, 19, triple contacts 7, coifductor 18, lifting coil 17, and conductor 14 to the negative terminal. a

The motor starting switch 22 is connectf ed in parallel with the main switch 10 and operates to close thevcircuit from the battery to the dynamo electric machine which under these c1rcumstanceswill run as a m0- tor. Thisr circuitis from battery 3, conductact 22, conductor 25 and dividing one' branch through resistance 6, conductor 5 and armature 2 and the other branch through conductor 13 and Held windings 2'L to conductor 12 back to battery. In order. 105 to initiate th*l cperation of the starting switch 22, a lifting coil 26is arranged in a circuit leading from the battery` as follows: From battery 3, conductors 11, 23, coil 26, conductor 27, push buttons 28, conductor 29 and back to the battery. The push buttons may be located at convenient places and ac- 'cordingly the system may be placed in operation from a distance if desired..

The operation of the system is as follows: Upon momentarily presslng any of the push buttons 28, the lifting coil 26 is energlzed by current from the battery 3, and closes the starting switch 22 which is thereafter automatically held in a closed position by the coil 24, which coil is now included 1n the circuit from the battery through the generator 2, including also resistance 6 which is intended to prevent damage to the armature and to prevent short circuiting 0f the battery. The push button may be immediately released after an operation and consequent initiation of .the starting function as the coil 24 will hold the starting switch closed,

all other circuit controlling operations there; after being automatically performed. The

shuntfield windings 22L are so connectedas to be' subjected to full battery voltage and-l hence a strong field with high starting torque is available.

The dynamo electric machine now operates as a motor and cranks the engine. 4After the engine assumes its normal cycle of operation, thev dynamo electric machine no longer draws a heary current from the storage battery. The yi rent causes the de-energizing of coil 24, the starting switch 22 therefore opening. The opening of switch 4contact 22 causes the triple contact switch 7 to close, which short- -circuits the resistance 6 formerly in the armature circuit, and also connects the lift.-

v ing coil 17 of the main switch in operative circuit. This control of the lifting coil 17 of the main switch bythe starting Swltch prevents any possibilit-y of the main switch 1 0 closing prematurely. As the speed of the engine and dynamo electric machine further increases, the generator voltage reaches a proper value and the lifting coil 17 Vof the main switch now functions to close switch contact 10 and complete the circuit from the generator to the battery and lighting circuit. Coils 17 and 9 are so wound that they assist each other in holding the switch 10 closed as long as current flows from the generator .to the battery. Whenever the 1generator slows down however to a point where its voltage is below that of the battery reversal of current iow takes `place in coil 94 owing to the fact that the battery 'disthe vswitch 10 opens.

Under normal conditions the generator supplies both the battery 3 and the external ng out of this cur-v lighting circuit 4. Whenever the generator is run at less than the proper speed however,

or when it is not running at all, the storage battery alone supplies the lighting circuit. If the 'internal combustion engine is of a type requiring electrical ignition current from the battery may be utilized for this purpose.

Referring to Fig. 2 in which a modified .form of system is disclosed, the generator 2 is shown as having a shunt field winding 2'* the main circuit of the generator being through conductor 5, solenoid 29, conductor chine through conductor 5, resistance 32,

conductors 38 and 39, shunt fieldv windings .2a and back to the negative pole of the dynamo electric machine. The closing of the main switch is eifeoted by a lifting coil 17 which coil is ina shunt circuit around the, terminals of the dynamo 'electric ma.- chine as follows: From the positive pole through conductory 5, solenoid 29, conductor 30, lifting coil 17 and conductor 14 to the negative terminal. A Starting switch 22 is provided in parallel with the main switch 10 between the dynamo electric machine and the battery. When closed the switch contact 22 completes a circuit from the battery through conductor 36, holding coil 24, contact 22, conductor 67, resistance 6 to armature 2 and back to battery through conductor 12. The lifting of swltch contact 22 'also completes a circuit from the battery through conductor 36, switch contact 22 and conductor 37 to the shunt winding of the enerator 2* and back to battery through con uctor 12, I

thus vproviding for the full battery voltage for the shunt field of the generator-and also for the omission of the regulating resistance 32 during the starting operation. y The starting switch is voperated as before by means of a lifting coil 26, energized from the battery through .conductors 27 and any of the plurality of remote control push buttons 28. The operation -of this arrangement is as follows: VPressing any of the push buttonsl 28 causes the lifting coi1.26 to be energized by battery current and the closing of starting switch contact 22 follows, thus completing a circuit4 from the battery through vthe dynamo electric machine field and armature and causing said generator to operate Lacasse as a motor and start the engine in a manner heretofore described. As soon as switch 22 closes the holding coil 24 holds it in this position and the push button may be released thereby de-energizingl lifted coil 26. As soon as the engine begms to drive the generator the voltage of the battery becomes balanced, and the current flowing through coil 24 is so reduced as to cause the motor starting switch 22 to open. As the voltage of the generator continues to increase a predetermined point is reached at which the lifting coil 17 is energized sutiiciently to close the main switch 10, the generator thereby charo'ing the battery and carrying the lamp loa The function of the carbon pile regulator is to regulate the output of the generator and to maintain the voltage of the same approximately constant irrespective of speed variation. The o eration is briefly asvfollows: Normally t e Weight of plun er 33 keeps it in its lower-most position t ereby producing a maximum pressure upon the pile of carbon disks and reducing their resistance accordingly. U on rise in the current ow through solenold 29 the plunger 33 is lifted, whereupon an increased resistance is introduced into the shunt field .circuit of the generator, thereby weakening the field and reducing the current flow.

The foregoing .embodiments of my idea are simply illustrative of some of the many practical forms which the present invention may assume and it is obvious that changes may be made including the omission of immaterial elements and the substitution of equivalents without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined in the api pended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a device of the character described, the combination with an en ne, a motor-generator, and connections -etween the engine and the motor-generator for starting the former by the latter and running the latter by`the former, and an accumulator having electrical connections with the motor-generator; of means for regulating the current output during a determined range of speed of the generator; automatic means for disabling said regulating means during another range of generator speed in the generator operation; and means for changing the electrical connections to provide for an unregulated flow of current from the accumulator through the motor-generator to operate the machine as a high torque motor for starting purposes.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM L. BLISS. 

